The Odyssey BOOKS 6-8
Christoph Amberger, Odysseus and Nausicaa, 1619
Book 6: The Princess and the Stranger Athena visits the princess of the Phaecians, Nausicaa in a dream In the dream, she advises the princess to wash her clothes by the stream the next day. The princess went down with her handmaids and washed their clothes while they played naked by the stream. “But now, as she was about to fold her clothes/ and yoke the mules and turn for home again,/ now clear-eyed Pallas thought of what came next,/ to make Odysseus wake and see this young beauty/ and she would lead him to the Phaeacians’ town.” ( )
Book 6: The Princess and the Stranger When Odysseus awakes he is taken by the princess’ beauty but debates what to do: “Should he fling his arms around her knees, the young beauty,/ plead for help, or stand back, plead with a winning word,/ beg her to lead him to the town and lend him clothing?” ( ) He begs for her help and she leaves him alone so he can wash up. Athena makes him more handsome than usual and the princess falls in love with him. The princess gives him directions to the palace so others will not see him (to avoid gossip) and directions on how to greet the queen.
Book 7: Phaeacia’s Halls and Gardens Athena disguises herself and helps Odysseus find his way to the palace. She puts a protective mist around him so he can remain safe. She warns Odysseus to speak to the queen, Arete, as she has the reputation for wisdom and could help him.
Book 7: Phaeacia’s Halls and Gardens Odysseus enters the palace in awe of the opulence, “And there Odysseus stood,/ gazing at all this bounty, a man who’d borne so much…” ( ) When he enters the palace, he throws himself at the feet of the queen. Initially the king and queen suspect he is a god, disguised since he entered in a mist.
Book 7: Phaeacia’s Halls and Gardens The Queen recognizes his clothes from her daughter. When asked, Odysseus tells the truth and tells her the story of his escape from Calypso. The King wonders why his daughter did not escort him to the palace herself. He says, “her good sense missed the mark, this daughter of mine./ She never escorted you to our house with all her maids/ but she was the first you asked for care and shelter” ( ). Odysseus assures him she did not fail the hospitality code- that he wanted to go alone for fear of gossip. The King declares, “you could wed my daughter and be my son-in-law/ and stay right here with us” ( )
Book 8: A Day for Songs and Contests The King and Queen order for a ship to return Odysseus to his homeland. In celebration, a blind bard named Demodocus sings of Odysseus’ quarrel with Achilles at Troy. Odysseus breaks down from hearing of the past. “That was the song the famous harper sang/ but Odysseus, clutching his flaring sea-blue cape/ in both powerful hands, drew it over his head/ and buried his handsome face,/ ashamed his hosts might see him shedding tears” (99-103)
Book 8: A Day for Songs and Contests The King decides some competitions would be fun to distract their sad visitor. Odysseus is asked to participate in the discus but he refuses. After he is taunted by one of the men, he accepts the challenge and wins easily. The king decides to have yet another feast to settle the quarreling over the competition and offer many gifts to Odysseus to take with him on his journey. Odysseus asks for another song about the Trojan War and eventually is asked to reveal who he is. The king begs “tell us your own story now, and tell it truly./ Where have your rovings forced you?...Tell me why do you weep and grieve so sorely when you hear/ the fate of the Argives, hear the fall of Troy?” ( )
And so begins Odysseus’ tale of his time lost at sea….